Yesterday I stopped at the check station of my local wildlife management area where I volunteer. I decided to check one of my Nice reloads on their "Hot Shot" device. To my surprise the device immediately registered the shell as lead. We tried several times, but no difference was registered. Thinking that the reloaded hull had a trace of lead, I again stopped today to check some Nice factory shells. Again, the Hot Shot device showed lead. We went to the device instructions and it appeared that we were properly operating the unit. I also checked some Kent Tungsten Matrix shells that registered as tungsten. What's up?????

This is something that Dennis at Stream Systems that make the "Hot Shot" and I have been working on for quite some time. Don't know how to explain it without a lot of theory and electronic jargon but the tin is shielding the iron and the tungsten from the unit. Nice Shot registers in the Hot Shot until it is run through the furnace, then it doesn't.

Anyway we have been using magnets to prove that it is Nice Shot. The older shot that was manufactured for me needed this magnet http://www.amazingmagnets.com/show-frac ... e-n42.aspx These are rare earth magnets, the same needed for the tungsten-bronze shot that is out there.

I have been able to increase the magnetism of the Nice Shot I am making here but the Hot Shot doesn't seem to like the quantity of tin in the shot. I'm not saying anything bad about the Hot Shot either, it is a good product and Dennis knows the frustrations involved with the newer shot compositions.

In short, if you use the magnet listed above there should be no doubts about Nice Shot.

PS, Don't get that magnet near any magnetic storage device.

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Dan, Thanks for your informative reply. I had ordered a similar rare earth magnet in the same power just yesterday. I will keep it safely with me, along with a factory shell to compliment my reloads whenever I might be checked. The game officer, here in Oregon, who checked my shells had a magnet, but I suspect the strength of the device was sufficient for steel only.

The older shot still needs the "rare-earth magnet" but the new shot I am manufacturing here in PA is easier to detect.

This is the reply I received:

Hi Dan:

Jay Pilgrim in our Office of Law Enforcement confirmed that your shot tests correctly with a magnet and much better, of course, with a rare earth magnet. With the Hot Shot, it tests as bismuth/tin. I will have to consider changing the table in our regs accordingly, but your shot is ok.